No Rose is without Thorns
by Kitzune101
Summary: A tale long forgotten of Helena Ravenclaw (the grey lady) and Terrance Baylor (the bloody barron) and how their own fates did collide on a night long but told. It is about time that tale of bravery, stars, and betrayal was told. Have you ever wondered who the bloody baron killed, or who's blood he wore, or why Helena is so hateful of her mother's diem, this is a must read.


_A/N_

_Story Title/Link: _ s/13281673/1/No-Rose-is-without-Thorns

_School: Hogwarts_

_Prompts: main [Weather] meteor shower (shooting stars) extra [Action] star gazing and [Quotes] "You do care, you care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."_

_Year: five_

_Wordcount: 1,669 before authors notes_

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A long raven haired beauty gowned in a metallic cyan and silver robes walked along the treeline, content as could be. In her hair was an elaborate silver tiara with sapphires and pearls, brimming with a powerful essence. she seemed content with herself as she meandered home, just as the sun lay to sleep to allow the lesser stars to twinkle happily down at her. She smiled. This was truly the life, with her mother's diem, she is just as powerful as if she had never left Hogwarts four years early. She prided herself on knowing she didn't need anyone's help as she finally reached her little cabin which she fashioned herself out of logs around her and a little bit of magic of course.

She walked the cobblestone path to her cabin when she stiffened. She could feel a presence in the woods with her, and not a good one. It was as if the world silenced itself in its presence. The air stilled, the water in the nearby creek seemed to still or soften it's tone. A twig cracked as the little hairs on the back of her neck stood up and her fingers silently searched for her wand in her pocket. She waited, then, nothing. Nothing happened, but she couldn't shake the eerie feeling int he air.

After a few moments passed, she opened her door and entered her cabin. Upon closing it, she muttered a few simple charms to help with security, but she couldn't seem to tire, as if something bad was to pass. Something horrible enough that the world would ever be changed because of it. She decided to make herself some tea, as sometimes that helped when she was particularly paranoid, but living alone in a forest in Albania will do that to anyone. One simply couldn't be cautious enough.

Sipping her tea she sat down on the sofa she fashioned, looking at the stars through her window. It was a peculiar kind of night, as there was an eerie green glow to the blackness of the sky. this was typical when the sky should fall, but this didn't disturb her in the slightest as she enjoyed the show whenever it did grace her doorstep. Suddenly a deafening knock sounded at her door, followed by a soft rattle of the knob. Someone was there. Could it be what had her on edge so?

She slowly turned the knob, wand ready to find the person she liked least in the world. A tall man dressed in the finest forest green robes stood with a long sceptor, beaming at her through his handlebar mustache. "Fine evening, isn't it Helena?" The woman was rather perplexed at this time as her nerves were being tried. This was a man who couldn't take no for an answer, but she was free now, free to make her own decisions, her own mistakes. No one, not even him could sway her. She stood slightly taller now.

"Terence, what in Merlin's name are you doing here?" The man sighed as if he had exerted himself so, leaning ever so slightly on his scepter which he used as an overpriced walking stick.

"It wasn't an easy task finding you my dear. Your mother sent me, may I come in?" Helena thought about this for a brief moment, before responding.

"No, but it is a wonderful night, let us go outside." Terence seemed a bit let out, but stepped back respectfully, tipping his long feathered hat slightly as she passed. He loved her so, he wanted her, nay, needed her. Alas, she has always thwarted his advances and always turned him down. Can't blame a man for trying, right? He followed her to a clearing where the creek ran calmly through the forest. This was one of her favorite spots to watch the night sky. She sat on a nearby stump before speaking again. "Now then, what is it that mother could possibly want? She hasn't bothered even communicating by owl in almost four years." _And now she sent you_, she thought disdainfully to herself.

"Well, It isn't pretty news I'm afraid. Your mother, you see... She isn't well. It's pretty serious and the Mediwitches don't think she will last much longer." Terence said carefully as he didn't wish to upset her. He still loved her, even after all these years and this was a rather delicate matter.

"And what does she want? She cannot possibly want me to come back?" She looked incredulous. How could her mother ever expect this of her after she has found her freedom and was aloud to keep it for all these years. If she went back she would be expected to look after the Ravenclaws, and then she would be confined to the walls of the castle. No, she simply wouldn't go.

"Yes, she hasn't told anyone you have the diem. It is her dying wish to see you once more, and her precious treasure to give it to you properly."

"No." Helena put simply as she gazed up at the stars. What a beautiful night it was, and the stars seemed extra twinkly, as if destiny itself were about to be played out.

"What do you mean, No?" Terence's face began to redden slightly.

"Exactly that, No. I do not wish to go back and give up freedom as you have. I have no wishes to live out as a noble." Terence grew visibly jealous.

"But you are the last of your noble line. You simply cannot let that go to waste."

"Indeed I can, and I will Terrance." At that moment hundreds of thousands of stars began streaking across the night sky in brilliant glowing lights. Terrance walked in front of her and took her hands from her lap, bending down on one knee.

"Will you at least think about it? At the very least you and I can live out our days here and produce an heir... All in good time of course." He added that last part after a pregnant pause. Helena looked down from the beautiful sight to look into two cold brown eyes before her. She softened her stern tone a moment.

"Terrance, I have been clear in the past, have I not?"

"Yes, but I have changed. I'm a better man now, please let me show you.."

"Terrance get up, you are embarrassing yourself. I don't wish to be with you, let alone have intercourse with you. I don't like who you are, and I never will" His eyes turned colder, almost as if his heart just froze over, he suddenly pressed her lips against his roughly, she bit him, causing him to bleed from his bottom lip, tasting his own blood. He persisted and she head butted him, causing him to stop, stunned for a moment.

She quickly reached for her wand and realized it must have dropped somewhere along the way. How could she possibly be so careless? She made a run for her cabin with no time to find it. Terrance looked up and grabbed the hem of her robes which tore easily as she ran off, kicking her shoes off along the way. Finally the cabin approached just as the stars began to let up.

He tackled her to the ground and pinned her down, with a knife to her throat. "You will come with me." He demanded

"No, I won't and I will never love you." A metal clinking sound could be heard from somewhere near her knees. She remained adamant, calm and collected. Brave or stupid, you can decide, but she wasn't going to let someone else dictate her future.

"I don't care, as long as i can have you." She smirked slightly.

"On the contrary, I think you do care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it." His face grew red with furry as he stood up, the words struck a nerve. She stood as well, she knew he could never go through with it now. His hands lowered and Helena turned away to walk back to her cabin, just a mere two feet away, assuming he was fixing his bottoms, before she felt a hot, sharp pain in her back. She turned as warmth slid down her backside to see Terrance, clearly engulfed by rage holding an ornate silver knife.

"Why?" She asked, standing still. she dared him to finish the job. She was daring him, that's what he needed. He needed her to need him to finish it. She wanted him to, he thought to himself.

"If I can't have you, no one can." He said as he lunged at her, stabbing her repeatedly in her stomach. She stood for as long as she could, feeling all the warmth slide from her body, she gripped his shoulders as the last star flew across the sky, she whispered in his ear.

"I could never love a man like you, not now, and not in the next life." Before she stood limp against his body. She was gone. Suddenly guilt and realization at what he had done engulfed him. He lay her down gently near the creek and tucked her hair behind her ear lovingly.

"I'm sorry Helena... I truly am..." He then took that same knife and plunged it in his own heart and dropped to his knees. Looking into her lifeless eyes, he whispered, "I hope you are wrong, and I will always love you, even in the next life. I will ... Make it up to you..." He then fell next to her, lifeless as well.

Tales of Helena's bravery are rarely ever told, but that was what she exhibited that fateful night, where the stars flew, and fates were met, regardless of how adamant one was.

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**This was written for a contest, but i hope you enjoyed and given enough intrest I may actually write a full fanfiction based on it. please review if you liked it and tell me if you want more, thank you.**


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